Coal-loading apparatus



War.3,1925. 1,528,258

J. MICHALIK Con, LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1924 s Sheet-Sheet 1 J. MECHALIK COAL LOADING APPARATUS Eilegl Juli 22, 1924 Mar. 3, 1925. 1,528,258

J. MICHALIK COAL LOADING AlfPARATUS Fiiegl July 22. 1924 s Sheets-Shee s Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

FFICE JOSEF MIGHALIK, 0F BONGO, PENNSYLVANIA.

, COAL-LOADING AI'IARATUS.

Application filed m 22, i921: Serial No. 727,539.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- Josnr MIcHALIK, a citizen of Poland, residing at Ronco, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal-Loading Apparatus. of which the following is a specification. reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in loading apparatus and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character especially designed and adapted for use in mines for loading coal and the like, and it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this gen eral character having novel and improved means whereby coal or kindred material may be readily conveyed in a pile to a car or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this general character comprising an endless conveyor moving in a suitable path of travel and which is provided-with a plurality of shovels or blades normally maintained in a folded position against the conveyor but which are maintained in open or working position under the influence of thematerial carried by the conveyor.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this kind embodying novel and improved means whereby the apparatus may be caused to move toward the pile of material to be loaded as the occasions of practice may reuire. q The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my im-' proved loading apparatus whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwisemore convenient and advantageous for use. as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. I

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

in order that my invention may be the better understood. I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawingswhereinz- Figure l is a view in side elevation illustrating a loading apparatus constructed in accordance with an-einbodiment' of my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional viewtake'n longitudinally through the device as herein set forth;

Figure 3 is a view in top plan-of the apparatus as herein disclosed;

Figure 4 is an enlarged'fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating one of the blades or shovels in open position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly in rear elevation of the structure as illustrated in Figme 4; I

Figure 6 is a viewin side elevation of one of the shovel or blade carrying links unapplied; y

Figure 7 is a view in bottom plan of the link as illustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of one of the shovels or blades unapplied.

As disclosed in the accompanying draw-, i ings; T denotes a truck adapted to travel on the trackway R although I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself in this respect.

Mounted upon the truck T "for lateral swinging movement, as indicated at 1, is a body B. said body comprisingthe side members 2 disposed downward and forward on a predetermined incline with the lower extremities connected by a. bottom plate 3 adapted to have directcontact with the ground and totravel therealong. The: upper rear portions of the side members 2 are pro-- vided with the rearwardly directed and horizontally disposed side members Rotatably supported by the upper and lower portions of the side members 2 and bridging the space therebetween are the shafts 5and 6, said shafts each having fixed thereto inwardly of and adjacent to a side member 2 the sprocket 7. The outer end portions of the rear side members 4 having engaged therewith a shaft 8 having fixed thereto inwardly of andadjacent to each of the side members 4 a sprocket 9. Operatively engaged with each set of sprockets 7 and 9 is the upper stretch of a side chain 10 comprised in an endless conveyor, the lower stretch of each of said side chains being over an idler guide pulley 11 supported by the body B at proper position below an upper sprocket 7. The shaft 8 is supported for adjustment lengthwise of the side members 4 in order that the side chains 10 may be maintained taut, such adjustment of the shaft 8 as at 14, with a sliding bearing 15 for an end portion of the shaft 8. The rod 12 is freely disposed through an outstanding bracket 16 carried by the adjacent side member 4 and threaded upon said rod 12 and contacting; with the bracket 16 is the nut 17. By requisite loosing of each of the nuts 17 the side members or chains 10 may be loosened or tightened as the occasions of practice may necessitate.

At predetermined intervals each of the side chains has interposed therein a special link L provided in its side portionsand at the opposite ends thereof with the recesses 18 in which the extremities of coacting links 19 are received and pivotally connected with resultant intervening \vebs 20 of the pins 21 and 21! or the like. The pin 21 extends across the space between the side members or chains 10 and common to both of the transversely aligned links L.

Substanti lly defining the marginal portions of the side members Zand 4 is an inwardly disposed trackway 22 provided along its under surfac with a groove 23 and carried by each of the side members 2 and substantially bridging the space between the ad- 'aoent sprockets? is'a lower trackway 24.

he upper stretches of the side members or I chains 10 traveLbetween the upper portion of the trackway 22 and the trackway 24 resting upon the lower trackway 24 while each of the links L is provided with an upstanding rib cr -flange 25 which is received with in the groove 23 whereby the side members or chains 10 are effectively maintained against displacement w'th' respect to the trackways 22 and 24. ch of the links L has its body portionextending beyond the inner margin of each of the side members or chains 10 as is particularly illustrated in Fi we 5.

oacting with each of the pins .21 is a shovel or blade 26, one end portion of which being provided with a pair of downwardly disposed lugs 27 through which said pin 21 is freely disposed whereby the shovel or blade 26 is supported for swinging movement. The shovels or blades 26 are of a length to snugly fit between the side mem bers 2 and are arranged. uppermost with respect to the top stretches of the members or chains 10 with their free ends disposed upwardly-or with said free ends of the blades or shovels 26 disposed forward-ly and downwardly when com rised within the lower stretches of the si e members or chains 10. i The upward. or opening swinging movement of each of the shovels or blades 26 is limited by the outstanding lugs 28 carried by the opposite ends of the blade or shovel 26 and in close proximity forwardly or outwardly of the lugs 27 said lugs 28 contactmg with the inwardly extending portions of the transversely aligned links Ti upon outward swinging movement of said blade or shovel.

Each of the blades or shovels 2G is nor mally maintained in a. lowered or closed position and as herein disclosed this normal osition is maintained by the coil sorin s 29 encircling the pin 21 below each of the inwardly disposed portions of the links L with one end portion of each of the springs;

;, in Contact, as at 30, with said extended por' tion of the adjacent link and the opposite end portion of the spring, as at 31, contacting-with an edge of the lug 27.

Also bridging the space between the side members 2 and suitably supported thereby is a wall or bottom 32 over which the material to be loaded is carried by the shovels or blades 26 in their upward movement, said wall or bottom 32 extending artially around, as at 33, the shaft 5 while t e up 1' end portion extends as at 34, a slight tance beyond the upper shaft 6 and delivers .to a hopper with which is adapted to be employed a chute (not shown) for properly delivering 01' discharging the material into a .car or the like, said material being received within the hopper as discharged from the adjacent portion 34 of the wall or bottom 32.

The upper shaft 6 exteriorly of a side member 2 has fixed thereto a sprocket 36 around which passes a chain 37 also operatively engaged with the shaft 38 in driven connection with the motor 39 carried by the base portion of the body B. By this means Ion requisite rotation is imparted to the shaft 6 to effect the desired travel of the side chains or members 10. v

The lower ends of the side members 2 are provided with the forward extensions 40 alsoconnected by the plate 3. The forward ends ofthe extensions 40 at the upper por tions thereof rotatably support therebetween a feed drum or'roller 41 provided with the outstanding fingers 42. The roller or drum 41 is in driven connection through the chains 43 with the lower shaft 6, said connections coacting with the opposite end portions of said drum and shaft. As is particularly illustrated in Figure 1 each-of said connections comprises a sprocket 44 secured to an extended portion of the shaft 5 and a sprocket 45 secured to a supporting trunnion or shaft 47 for the roller 41 and with which sprockets 44 and 45 the chain 43 is directly engaged. p

The shaft 38 as herein disclosed is also disposed on each side of the body B and through which extended portion is fixed a drum 48 around which is adapted to be wrapped a cable 49. This cable 49 extends in advance of the ap aratus.

As herein disclose when it is desired to unease guide pulley 50 carried adjacent to the forward and of the body and is adapted to be extended through and suitably secured to a jack or other stationary support arranged cause the apparatus to move forwardly it is only necessary to impose suflicientpull upon the extended'upper end ortions of each of the cables 49 to tighten t 1e same on its drum 48 and as the shaft 38 rotates the desired, forward travel of the a paratus will occur. When the apparatus as been advanced as desired the pull on the cable is released.

In practice, the drum or roller 41 rotates upwardly and rearwardly and as it enters the coal pile or the like throws such material upon the forward portion of the late 3 and upon the shovels or blades 26 w ich begin to passupwardly and over the lower shaft 5. The Wei ht of the material received by each of the s ovels 0r blades 26 will serve to hold'the same in its raised or workin position as illustrated in Figure 2, an such position of the shovel or blade will be maintained until the load carried thereby is deposited within the hop or 35 whereb the blade or shovel 26 will automatically returned to its closed or inoperative position. This latter or normal position of the blades or shovels 26 is required in order that no hinderance or obstruction will be olfered by any of the parts of the apparatus to the requisite travel of the conveyor.

Associated with the side members 2 are the side boards 51 detachably held in applied position, as at 52.

The wheels 53 of the truck T are mounted on the axles 54, said axles being in driving connection one with the other through the medium of the chain 55 coacting with the sprockets 56 carried by the axles 54. One of the axles 5% is in driven-connection through the chain 57 with the shaft 38 such connection being under control of the clutch mechanism 58 so that such driving connection as afforded by the chain 57 may be rendered operative or inoperative as desired. By this means the device in its entirety may be driven along the trackway R from the motor 39.

Interposed between the lower portion of each of the side members 2 and the adjacent end of the truck T is a jack 59 whereby the lower end portion of the-apparatus may be readily elevated above the round so that no hinderance will be offered thereby when it is desired to transport the apparatus in its entirety.

I also find it of advanta to provide means for holding the body against rotary movement around its axis 1 and especially when the apparatus is transported and as herein disclose this is accomplished through the medium of a, clamp 60 coacting V engaged withthe wheels or rollers 61 car ried by the rear. portionof the body B.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obviousthat a loading apparatus constructed in accordance with m invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and 0peratcd. and it will also beobvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in praotice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. A loading apparatus comprising a body structure, an endless conve or carried thereby, means for driving sai. said conveyor consisting .of side members shovels pivotally supportal by said side members, said shovels having movement toward and from the side members, and means for normally maintaining said shovels at the limit of their movement toward the side members. j'

2. A loading apparatus comprising a body structure, an endless conveyor carried thereby, means for driving said conveyor, said conveyor consisting of side members, shovels pivotally supported by said side members, said shove s having movement for normally maintaining said shovels at the limit of their movement toward the side members, and means for limiting the movement of the shovels in the opposite direction.

3. A loading apparatus comprisin in combination, a body provided with inc med side members, the opposed facesoi': the side inemberfibeing provided with a trackwa ly, side members travelling within the tree way. said side members including links, shovels pivotally connected with said links and substantially bridging the space between the side members, said shovels having swinging movement toward and from the side members, and means for constantly urging said shovels toward the side members.

4.18, loading apparatus comprising, in combination,- a body provided with inclined side members. the opposed faces of the side members being provided with 'a trackway, side members travelling within the track way, said side members includin links, shovels pivotally connected with said links and substantially" "bridging the space heoonveyor,

' trackway,

tween the side members, said shovels having swinging movement toward and from the side members, means for constantly urging said shovels toward the side'members, the links by which the shovels are supported and the trackway being provided with 00- acting means for holding said side members within the trackway,-

5. A loading apparatus comprising, in combination, a body provided with inclined side members, the opposed faces of the side members being provided with a trackway, side members travelling within the said side members including links, shovels piyota llyconnected with said links and substantially bridging the space between the side members, said shovels having swinging .movement toward and from theside members, means for constantly urging said shovels toward the side members, the links by which the shovels are supported and the trackway being provided with coacting means for holding said side members within the trackway, and means carried by the shovels and coacting with said links for limiting the swinging movement of the shovels in the opposite direction.

6. A loading apparatus comprising a body structure, an endless conveyor carriedthereby. means for driving said conveyor. said conveyor consisting of side meml'mrs. shovels pivotall vsupported by said side members. said shovels having movement toward and from the side members, means for normally maintaining said shovels at the limit of their movement toward the side members, said body being portable. and means for moving the same.

signature.

J OSEF MICHALIK. 

